He toyed, as the Trujillo of
Fox courtiers that he is, in
teasing a domestic suspect of
murder with fun torments at
Guantánamo, his minders ev-
idently ignorant of the il-
legality of the fantasy,
but grateful for its deni-
ability. Nobody challenged
him in his hearing, none of
his chums squealed on him -
unless in indictments, not
yet opened. But tomorrow is
another news cycle, Scarlett.
He must alarm Asia to dread
him, and cheer his thrill-
starved throngs. A General,
as chief of staff, is bound
to remark favorably on his
next suggestion of a little
white man's sport, such as
a concession to slavery,
while good people are still
to be found, conditioned by
that heritage. Asia, however,
a continent saturated in the
antidote of patience, awaits
to dandle him on its knee.
Better that, than his paw-
ing of Marines at home.
Mario Vargas Llosa
Edith Grossman
translation
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2001©
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